Circular knit stockings



Jan. 11, 1966 M, B, NEBEL 3,228,214

CIRCULAR KNIT STOCKINGS Original Filed Jan. 25, 1962 m u... fg/Q g b 1l" I k/ l I L a, JAY/MM mi 1N VENTOR.

United States Patent C) 3,228,214 CIRCULAR KNT STOCKINGS Max BrunoNebel, Wiesbaden, Germany, assignor to Hanes Corporation, a corporationof North Carolina Original application `lan. 23, 1962, Ser. No. 168,140.Divided and this application Dec. 4, 1963, Ser. No. 327,962 Claimspriority, application Germany, Jan. 26, 1961, N 19,488 3 Claims. (Cl.{S6- 185) This invention relates generally to circular knit stockings,and particularly to improvements in the sole, heel and high heel partsof circular knit ladies stockings.

This application is a division of my copending application Serial No.168,140, tiled January 23, 1962.

The object of the invention is to suitably reinforce the sole, heel andhigh heel parts of circular knit ladies stockings without introducingspecial reinforcing threads, whereby to eliminate the unsightlyappearance of cut-oif thread ends at the peripheries of said parts.

Another object is to provide such a stocking with fabric which is runproof, and with a heel part which has ample ductility.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent when the followingdescription is read with reference to the accompanying drawing, inwhich:

FIG. 1 is an enlarged view looking at the inner face of the fabricwithin the rectangular area X in FIG. 2;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the foot of the stocking;

FIG. 3 is a View showing a modied stitch arrangement; and

FIG. 4 is a View showing another modified stitch arrangement.

Referring particularly to FIG. 1, the fabric zone P, to the right ofline u, illustrates the stitch formation in the reinforced fabric parts,and the fabric zone O, to the left of line u, illustrates the stitchformation in the unreinforced parts. The fabric zone O preferably isplain knit with two threads a and b, which extend into the part F of thefabric zone P to be formed into enlarged double thread stitches A and Bon one side of the line k, and into the part S of the zone P to beformed into enlarged single thread stitches M and N on the opposite sideof the line k.

The threads a and b are each formed into conventional stitches cthroughout the zone O, and below the line k each pair of successivethreads a and b extend across the line u and throughout the part F andare formed into double thread stitches in alternate wales. For example,,two adjacent threads a and b combine in the part F to form doublethread stitches A in alternate wales, while each of said threads a and bcombines in the part F with the next adjacent thread a or b to formdouble thread stitches B in intervening wales. The stitches A and Bpreferably are approximately twice as long as the stitches c.

The stitches A and B are staggered in relation to each other, as shown,in consequence of which the sinker stitches V run obliquely, thus makinga strong cross connection. Because of the large double thread stitches,and of their staggered relation, the fabric has large openings, inconsequence of which it is especially suitable as reinforced fabric fora heel part F. Thus the double thread staggered stitch arrangement isworked into the heel part F, i.e., between lines y and k in thelongitudinal direction and to line u in the transverse direction. Itshould be noted that, as shown, the heel part F is greater in width thannormal heel parts.

Above the line k each thread a and b extends across the line u andthroughout the part S and is formed into single thread stitches inalternate wales. The stitches ICC formed of the threads a and b,respectively designated M and N, are staggered relative to each other,as shown, so that alternate wales contain only stitches M and Nintervening wales contain only stitches N. The portion T between twosuccessive stitches M floats across a stitch N in the intervening wale,and the portion T between two successive stitches N oats across a stitchM in the intervening wale. Thus the single thread `staggered stitcharrangement affords two plain looped fabrics worked into each other,i.e., a so-called single panel interlocked fabric.

Such a fabric is considerably more durable than the conventional singlethread fabric, in consequence of which it is particularly suitable forthe sole part S and high heel part H.

It should be not-ed that the change from the heel part F made of twothread stitches A, B to the sole part S rnade of single thread stitchesN, M, at the courses designated a', b', is effected so that thestaggered relation of the stitches is not interrupted. It should also benoted that the change from the high hee-1 part H made of single threadstitches N, M to the heel part F made of two thread stitches A, B iseffected so that the staggered relation of the stitches is notinterrupted.

Fabric made of stitches N and M is capable of considerably morelongitudinal dilatation lnhan a single panel looped fabric, and it iscapable of greater longitudinal dilatation than fabric made of stitchesA and B. At the same time, when the fabric is stretched longitudinallyit has a strong tendency to contract circumferentially, which is anadvantage. The reason is to be found in the presence of the floatingthread portions T between the stitches. It is possible for the stitchesN, M to attain approximately double the lengths of stitches c withoutinitially being formed longer than the stitches c, the extra threadgoing into the stitches N, M being drawn from the floating threadportions T. Lf desired, of course, the stitches N, M may be drawn longerthan the stitches c. For example, when stitches A, B of the .adjoiningheel part F are not drawn twice as long as the stitches c, the stitchesN, M are advantageously drawn longer to -compensate for this.

A stocking knit in accordance with the invention keeps its shape. Forexample, a tubular stocking blank may be knit with sole part S, heelpart F and high heel part H Iall of the same width. After the toe part Eis knit, trimmed and seamed, as at Z, the heel is shaped, in consequenceof which the fab-ric expands the dotted line d, as required to affordthe desired shape. In spite of the fact that the parts S, F and H areinitially of the same width in the tubular blank, the stocking hol-dsits shape and gives a good appearance along line zr.

The stocking parts, of course, may be worked in different shapes. Forexample, like the shape of the high heel H', or of the sole part S.

Referring particularly to FIG. 3, the modied stitch arrangement ischaracterized by double thread stitches A, B and single thread stitchesN, M worked together in the same fabric area. The fabric comprisesdouble thread stitches A in alternate wales and double thread stitches Bin intervening wales, each of these stitches being formed of a pair ofthe threads a, b, as shown. Between the stitches A in each of thealternate wales are single thread stitches M formed of one of thethreads a, and between the stitches B in each of the intervening walesare single thread stitches N formed of one of the threads b. Thus thestitches A, B .are staggered relative to each other and the stitches N,M are staggered relative to each other, while all of the stitches A, B,N and M are worked together in the same fabric area.

The fabric knit in accordance with the embodiment of FIG. 3 ispractically run proof and is advantageously in the same fabric area.

- 3 used for the sole, heel, high heel and toe parts of the stocking.

Referring particularly to FIG. 4, the second modified stitch arrangementis characterized by double thread stitches A and single lthread stitchesN worked together The fabric comprises double thread stitches A inalternate wales, and single thread stitches N in intervening wales, eachof the stitches A being made of a part of the threads a, b, and each orfthe stitches N being made of one of luhe threads b, as

shown. Each Iof the :alternate wales is made up of a' solid row ofstitches A, and each of the intervening wales is made up of a solid rowott stitches N. Each thread part T floats across a stitch N.

The fabric knit in .accordance with the embodiment of FIG. 4 isadvantageously used for the sole, heel and high heel parts of thestocking.

It will be understood, of course, that the present invention, asdescribed and shown, is susceptible to various changes and modificationswhich may be made without any departure from the general principles orreal spirit of the invention. Accordingly, -it is intended to claim thepresen-t invention broadly, as well as specifically, as indicated in theappended claims.

Wihat is claimed is:

1. In a ladies stocking rotary knitted throughout the leg and tfootthereof,

(a) an instep portion composed of a first thread in -alternate coursesand a second thread in the intervening courses, and

(b) a heel portion contiguous with the instep portion wherein saidthreads are formed alternately into single and double thread knittedloops in each wale, said single and double thread knitted loops in eachWale being staggered relative to the single and double thread loops inadjacent Wales, one of said threads being formed into the single threadknitted loops in alternate Wales, and being floated across interveningwales, the other of said threads being formed into the single threadknitted loops in intervening Wales, and being doubled with said onethread to form the double thread knitted loops in said alternate wales,whereby each and every double nbre-ad knitted loop is composed ottthread portions respectively of two successive courses.

2. The stocking of claim 1 further having a sole portion contiguous withthe instep and heel portions wherein the sole fabric is identical withthe heel fabric.

3. The stocking of claim 1 further having a high heel portion contiguouswith the instep and heel portions wherein lthe high heel fabric isidentical with the heel fabric.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS RUSSELL C. MADER,Primary Examiner.

1. IN A LADIES'' STOCKING ROTARY KNITTED THROUGHOUT THE LEG AND FOODTHEREOF, (A) AN INSTEP PORTION COMPOSED OF A FIRST THREAD IN ALTERNATECOURSES AND A SECOND THREAD IN THE INTERVENING COURSES, AND (B) A HEELPORTION CONTIGUOUS WITH THE INSTEP PORTION WHEREIN SAID THREADS AREFORMED ALTERNATELY INTO SINGLE AND DOUBLE THREAD KNITTED LOOPS IN EACHWALE, SAID SINGLE AND DOUBLE THREAD KNITTED LOOPS IN EACH WALE BEINGSTAGGERED RELATIVE TO THE SINGLE AND DOUBLE THREAD LOOPS IN ADJACENTWALES, ONE OF SAID THREADS BEING FORMED INTO THE SINGLE THREAD KNITTEDLOOPS IN ALTERNATE WALES, AND BEING FLOATED ACROSS INTERVENING WALES,THE OTHER OF SAID THREADS BEING FORMED INTO THE SINGLE THREAD KNITTEDLOOPS IN INTERVENING WALES, AND BEING DOUBLED INTO SAID ONE THREAD TOFORM THE DOUBLE THREAD KNITTED LOOPS IN SAID ALTERNATE WALES, WHEREBYEACH AND EVERY DOUBLE THREAD KNITTED LOOP IS COMPOSED OF THREAD PORTIONSRESPECTIVELY OF TWO SUCCESSIVE COURSES.